South Dakota Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Celebrates Defeat of Multiple Dangerous Gun Bills as Legislature Adjourns

South Dakota Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers Joined Law Enforcement, Public Safety Advocates in Testifying Against Bills to Weaken Gun Laws During Session Earlier this Year

The South Dakota chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statement after the South Dakota legislature officially ended its legislative session, adjourning sine die. After testimony and advocacy from South Dakota Moms Demand Action volunteers, lawmakers rejected and failed to advance two dangerous policies to weaken gun laws, including a bill to make enforcing federal gun laws illegal and a bill to tie the hands of state and local governments when making decisions with private companies. 

“We appreciate that our lawmakers listened to the clear concerns of South Dakotans and law enforcement, who know just how much risk these dangerous bills could have put our communities in,” said Emily Thomas, a volunteer with the South Dakota chapter of Moms Demand Action. “These bills would have worsened our state’s already devastating gun violence crisis. We need real solutions that will save lives and keep us safe, not policies that would put us in danger. We’ll keep fighting against any attempts to weaken gun safety laws.”

South Dakota legislature rejected HB 1052 and SB 209, legislation that would prohibit any public officer or employee of the state, including state and local law enforcement officers, to assist with the enforcement of federal gun safety laws. Lawmakers voted to reject HB 1052 after hearing testimony from South Dakota Moms Demand Action volunteers, law enforcement officers and public safety advocates.

The legislature also rejected SB 182 and HB 1314, legislation that would limit the state’s ability to make basic business decisions and expose the state to costly investigations by prohibiting state and local governments from contracting with companies unless a company provides written verification that they do not “discriminate” against firearm businesses or the gun lobby. South Dakota Moms Demand Action volunteers provided testimony against SB 182 during the legislative session. 

According to Everytown’s gun law rankings report, South Dakota has the fifth-weakest gun laws in the country, with essentially no foundational gun laws, like the requirement of a background check for firearm purchases or a permit to carry a concealed handgun in public. Learn more about gun violence in South Dakota here.